© UNICEF/NYHQ2009-2184/Ricardo PiresClosing of the Children's Climate Forum in Copenhagen-Dec.'09.

NEW YORK, USA, 11 December 2009 – Architect Carlos Vasquez designs child-friendly schools for UNICEF. This past week, he had the opportunity to give presentations about his schools, which are built to withstand disasters caused by climate change, at the Children’s Climate Forum in Copenhagen.

Building a modern developed society, a sound economic system, providing proper health and
educational systems are some of the objectives and commitments of the government of Myanmar
to its people. Such objectives require the participation of all and the leadership of those with
capacity to improved existing conditions.

The ability of each human being to play an active and constructive role in a civil and constitutional
society is directly dependent on the training and the education that he or she receives from an early
age. In light of this fact, the government of Thailand has embarked in a critical mission to educate all its citizens in an effort to prepare them to be active participants in the governance of the nation and the betterment of Thai society. Together with UNICEF, they have forged an alliance that has a single,
clear objective: fostering the well-being and education of all children in Thailand.

Over the next 40 years, communities across the globe will face challenges that are monumental and interconnected, affecting people in drastic ways never witnessed before. The world population has more than doubled during the past 100 years, and it will reach 9 billion by 2050. Estimates predict that for the first time in human history there will be more urban than rural dwellers, putting increased pressure on existing infrastructure. During the past 50 years, we have consumed more than 50 per cent of the world’s natural resources. What we do today and how we design our next plan of action will determine the impact our organization will have on future generations.

Education has proved to be the most effective vehicle in developing programmes to decrease mortality rates, increase health awareness and empower people to take charge of their destiny. Education has also moved to the forefront in emergency situations to bring a sense of stability to children’s lives and society at large. Child-friendly schools and the field of architecture are leading the way in innovative implementation of educational curricula and in developing structurally sound schools conducive to learning.

To address these shifting challenges, schools must continue to push beyond the academic realm and create a greater socially positive impact. The school of the future will be educational relative to the child’s experience and also to the state of world events. Schools will need to be epicentres for community improvement by providing multi-purpose spaces, thus maximizing their effective net investment value.

This is the time to imagine, design and build the school of a post-carbon society, with sustainable energy systems and educational tools that will enable people to end dependency. These will be schools that reach beyond national borders and encourage education – the most significant cross-border activity.

Carlos Vasquez
Architect
UNICEF, Education Section

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Please post your comments and questions below. Carlos is ready to respond to any queries on his work in building safe and child-friendly schools around the world.

These sketches were done by the Back on Track architect, Carlos Vasquez, during his recent trip to Myanmar.

These are sketches from Back on Track architect Carlos Vasquez’s recent trip to Thailand.